Singha was remanded in police custody for eight days after being produced at the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate here.

Acting on a tip-off, an 18-member police team surrounded Singha’s house in Nazirjote village before dawn and waited for the militant to return. The KLO activist was taken unawares when he walked into his house.

Police said Singha received training at a KLO-Ulfa camp in 1999 and must have entered his native village via Nepal to see one his ailing relatives. However, no weapons were recovered from him. Police and intelligence officers are likely to interrogate him tonight.

Police officials believe Singha’s arrest is proof of the fact that a large number of KLO militants have left their camps in southeastern Bhutan to carry out “secret missions”. A few days ago, Chandan Singh alias Raj Rajbanghsi and Shyamlal Singh alias Chila Roy were arrested from a hamlet near Kharibari.

The district police have been asked to step up vigil and search operations along the Indo-Nepal border in view of intelligence reports that KLO militants are taking that route to enter India.

Kundu, an assistant of a lawyer representing cases involving Naxalites, is a resident of Lake Town, Calcutta. He had come to Baripada in connection with the trial of the 11 Naxalites arrested in September 1999, sources said.

Additional superintendent of police, Siliguri, Kaliappan Jayaraman said: “We are trying to figure out Singha’s relations with the KLO top bosses. He was wanted in connection with a few conspiracy related cases. We will also probe his connections in Nepal.”

Kharibari has already come under the police scanner following intelligence reports that some of the “most-wanted” KLO militants have their relations staying there.